Casket



July 25, 1950' 2,516,488

CASKET Filed Nov. 25, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. L. SMITH CASKET" July 25, 1950 4 shets sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1946 y 5, 1950 M. L. SMITH I 2,516,488

. CASKET Filed Nov. 25, 1946 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m Mu M July 25, 1950 sMlTH 2,516,488

' CASKET Filed Nov. 25, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 25, 1950 UNI-'1? so .s-imrs CASKET Mintomharkin: Smith; Savannah, Ga; Apmication Novembe zs, 1946;;seriamo. 712,133.

23C.laims.; 11

This=invention-is a novel vacuumycasket; and the principal objectsthereof" are to prov-ide a casket that will not rot or rust; and whichcan be manufactured by casting the material in molds,- the casket being made of" aluminum, plastic; glass,;or any other'suitable material also to provide acasketythat' will beairtight, and provided with valves orother means of withdrawing the airfromytheca'sket and for-admitting gases thereintor after" thesame has beensealed;

I will explain the invention with reference to theaccompanyi-ng 'drawings; which illustrate several practical embodiments thereof, to, enable others familiar with .thearttto; adopt and use the. same; and'willsummarize in the claims,- the novel features of construction, and novelcombinations'. of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure Us a top plan: viewof 'thecasket show.-.-. ingthe lid. and the, countersunk bo1ts used. to. screw the lid downin an airtightimanner.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of'gan endportion ofthe casket showing the two1 .va1ves one. of which is used to, withdraw. the. air from the. casket; the other valvebeing used. toinjectgas or the like, intothe casket after the-lidhasbeen sealed" thereon.

Fig...3'i's a, top plan view. of the end portion of the casket shown in..F.!ig i. with lid. removed, showing the. groove in the rim which. receives, the correspondingly ribbed lid; also showingthetwo valves.

Fig. 4. is a side. elevationof ,thecasket showing the separatenover. portion .of. the; lid that fitsoyer a the glazed. top, portion thereof. separated: therefrom.

Fig.5 is. an enlarged. vertical section through thelid. and. side of the casket, with. parts. in i as:- sembled relation.

Figs. 6:v and. 7 are perspective viewss, of the: bolt andifiller, detached;

Fig. 8 is a. vertical section through the: valve showing same.

Fig: 9E a vertical section through thevalve A showing thesame open, with a hos whichmay be connected withany suitable means of withdrawingthe airfrom the casket or for iniecting gas thereinto.

Fig. 10 shows another. modificationoithe ket..

Fig;...1l is. a vertical;sectionfihrough one. side of the casket shown in Fig. 10. I

Fig. .lZis. a section-showing the;top. and bottom 2. portions;of the casket shown in Fig; 10 bolteck together:

As-=shown ill-Figs: 1: to- 5 thecasketcomprises a-body I, having sides la, bottom lbyand-rounded ends lc said body-beingopen at the-top. Body l is preferably-- made of-rotand rust-proof material, preferably-castina-mold; the material being aluminum, plastic,- glass, or any other-suitable material: Asshown-in Fig; 5, the sidesandends la preferably; extend below the bottom l b to enhance the appearance-of the-casket; Around the top; of the sides m and ends l c is a groove- Id of*truncated* triangular cross; section, the groove being narrowest at-its; bottom. In; the bottom of; the grooveat spaced'intervalsare tapped bores le, as shownmore particularly in Figs. 3;ar1ol 5, for the reception of the bolts l2 which secure the lid, to the casket body l. Along the sides la are handlesl, secured in, brackets 3 for lifting purposes,

As shown moreparticularly in Figs. 1, 4 and 5; lidg his of" the same shape and size asthe body I, and; is preferably cast or formed of the same material as.body Lthe lid'being providedon its lower, face with arib 5a of shape and'size correpo d n w th he groo d. n he p. f he. ket d herib. xte din en ely a ound. t e l d; and. ein d ted. to. eat squa l the groove 5d,. asshQW linFig B, an asbestos ther. ask t. Fig. 5.) be ngv nte ed. etweenthe lid. 4 and. body l. to render the casket gasi i ht, Instead of utilizingan asbestos gasket, any other suitablematerial may be used.

Lid 4 is providedat oneend with a re c ess lb in itstopJEigs, l, 4t,and:5)., andwithin the recess. 4b isiancpeni eg 40.0. sub tantialan athe i s-A o iorm ng-j th.. egen r l h pe Qfthe. re essAbass ow-n n E e, anda ass or oth transparent. pane- 4s po edb low. the p n n 4.0,. thesame: being secured to.,the. under. side. of the; lid- 4. around the sides. of, the opening by means of, an open. frame 1 (Fig. 5,) having holes. fonthereceptionof screwsor bolts 8 which.p ass upw rdly through the frame! intotheunder side of li flsket eibei s' f a y su ble mate al. being; interposed; below the, frame and pane. and between he name: and d. to nd r he onnection. ga tien The rame is s ed. n ire within. he. nner: a e f. he a s of he ca ket, asa how inF n A pa a e-co er! lr her essfi'br p ed -t e f sha e. to: fit- .tbe a d. ec ss 12;. ai o H1 eing. adanted Q. yerliethe. ii nsearent. can? said; com i l-i ein .p y ded h r s I t ada tedo: n a e. ta ped; be ies; s]? l a. 1).. he, top .of

the lid 4, in way of the recessed portion 4!), said bores If alternating with the tapped bores le for the lid hold-down bolts l2.

The lid 4 with or without the cover ill may be secured in a gastight manner to the casket body I by means of bolts l2, shown more particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, having enlarged cylindrical heads I211. provided with non-circular bores [2b in their upper ends, adapted to be engaged by a suitable driving device, the screws 12 entering the tapped bores la in the top of the side la and ends lo of the casket, as shown in Fig. 5, the bores being disposed around the entire periphery of the body I, the shanks of bolts l2 passing through corresponding bores 4e provided therefor in the lid, the bores 4e having enlarged upper ends to receive the heads |2a of bolts [2 which are housed entirely within the bores. applied, plugs l3 (Fig. 7) of metal or other material are secured in the bores Hb in the bolt heads to fill same and to enhance the appearance of the top of the casket, plugs l3 being of the same shape and depth as the non-circular bores !2b, the plugs 13 and bores 12b being shown as of triangular cross section. By the above construction the casket will be gastight, irrespective of whether or not cover NJ is or is not applied to the lid 4, the supplemental cover being removed in Fig. 1.

In the bottom lb of the casket are a pair of valves, shown more particularly in Figs. 8 and 9, each valve consisting of a body M extending upwardly through a hole L'r provided therefor in the bottom lb and having an annular flange I la at its lower end through which screws [5 are passed to secure the body E4 to the bottom lo, a gasket 16 of suitable material being interposed between the lower face of the bottom lb and the flange Ma. The body l4 above the bottom lb is exteriorly threaded as at 14b, and a perforated shield I! is threaded thereon to prevent any bulky material within the casket from closing the valve, the perforated center of shield Ila, being disposed over the duct I40 of the body H! which extends downwardly therethrough into a central extension Md at the lower end of body [4, the duct 14c having a lateral port Me through extension Md, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The body 54 is also provided with an annular depending extension MJ, which is threaded externally as at Mg and internally as at Mh, said extension 14) being concentric with the central extension Md and having a tapped bore Mk extending therethrough opposite port Me as shown.

An exteriorly threaded cap l8, closed at its lower end, engages the internal threads [4h of the annular extension if, and is adapted to be shifted from its upper position shown in Fig. 8 to its lower position shown in Fig. 9 to cover or uncover the lateral port Me of the valve, the port Me being uncovered when it is desired to introduce gas into the casket or to remove air therefrom. An outer cap I9 having radial arms 19a engages the external threads Mg of the extension [4 the cap being closed at its lower end and adapted when in the position shown in Fig. 8, to seal the port Mk of the valve, and when removed to permit the valve stem S on the hose H leading from a pressure or suction pump (not shown) to be applied to the tapped port 1410 so that gas under pressure may be introduced into the casket, or the atmosphere within the casket to be withdrawn therefrom by suction when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 9. After removing the valve stem S and applying the internal cap 18, and outer cap is in themanner shown in Fig.

After the bolts I2 are thus 8, the casket will be hermetically sealed. The upper ends of the caps l8 and I9 preferably engage gaskets 20--2l respectively in order to assist in rendering the valves, when closed, gastight, the gaskets being shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Instead of utilizing the specific valves shown in Figs. 8 and 9, however, any other types of valve or the like which are suitable for the purpose may be utilized or substituted therefor.

In the modification shown in Figs. 10 and 12, the casket comprises a bottom 33 having short depending sides 30a and having a peripheral recess 30b in its upper side edges adapted to receive the body 3| which is open at its lower end and closed at its top and adapted to seat within the recess 30b. In this modification the handles 32 are applied along the sides of the bottom 30, same passing through brackets 33. The bottom is equipped with suction and pressure valves which may be of same type as those shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and hence same need noparticular description herein.

At the bottom of the recess 30?) is a raised rib 300 of truncated triangular cross section, narrowest at its top, as shown, adapted to engage a correspondingly shaped groove 3m in the bottom of the body 3|, tapped bores 3 lb being provided in the groove am for receiving the bolt l2 which are identical with those shown in the preceding modification, the same passing through bores 30d in the bottom 30 in the same manner as described in connection with the preceding modification, the screws l2 however entering the bores 30d from the under side of bottom 30, suitable gaskets 34 being interposed between the bottom 30 and cover 3i corresponding with the shape of the ribs 300 and grooves 3 la.

In the top of body 3i is a cut-out portion 3lc adapted to receive a cover 35 provided with thumb screws 35 adapted to enter tapped bores Sid in the cut-out portion 3Ic to retain the cover 35 in position. Within the cut-out portion 3lc is an opening 3| e, preferably of rectangular shape, under which is disposed a transparent pane 31' which'is secured to the under side of the body around the opening 3le by means of a frame 38 and screws 39 similar to the frame and screws 1-8 shown in Fig. 5, gaskets 40 being interposed between the pane and frame and pane and body to render the casket gastight.

In this modification, at the outer periphery of the bottom 30 around the outer face of the body 3i is an upstanding lip 4| having an undercut inner face Me, as shown more particularly in Figs. 11 and 12, and the lower edge of the sidesof the cover 3! are thickened as at 3|:c and provided with a recess 3ly of substantially circular shape opposite the nclined edge Ala of the ridge 4|, thereby providing an undercut recess between the bottom 30 and the lower edge of the body 3! extending entirely around the casket, which recess may be filled with molten lead or plastic or any other material which will seal the casket.

In both modifications the valves may beinstalled in the bottom, sides, ends or in the lid instead of in the position shown, and in place of the valve any other device may be used through which air can be withdrawn and then sealed, leaving a vacuum or partial vacuum within the casket. Y

I do not limit my invention to the exact forms shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

- 1. A vacuum casket. comprising a body'member 5 dpn at one face; a cover member for said open face; means for applying the cover member to the body in a gas-tight manner; means for setting up a partial vacuum in the casket and for injecting gas thereinto after the cover member has been applied to the body member; said body member having a top, side, and end walls; and said cover member comprising a bottom for the body and having a peripheral recess adjacent its upper outer edge receiving the sides of the body; and said applying means comprisin a continuous ridge of truncated triangular cross-section around the recess engaging a correspondingly shaped groove in the lower end of the body; a correspondingly shaped gasket in said groove; a series of bolts having heads seated within bores in the bottom and having reduced shanks entenring tapped bores in the base of the groove; an upstanding lip around the outer side of the recess in the bottom offset from the outer wall of the body, said lip havin an undercut inner wall; and said body having a peripheral groove therein opposite the lip, thereby providing a sealing medium receiving recess.

2. A vacuum casket, comprising a body member open at one face; a cover member for said open face; a continuous ridge of truncated-triangular cross-section around one member engaging a correspondingly shaped groove in the other member; a correspondingly shaped gasket interposed between the ridge and groove; and a series of bolts having heads seated within bores in the first member and having reduced shanks entering tapped bores in the base of the groove; said cover member having a peripheral recess adjacent its outer edge receiving the sides of the body; an upstanding lip around the outer side of the recess offset from the outer wall of the body, said lip having an undercut inner wall; and said body having a peripheral groove therein opposite thelip, thereby providing an undercut recess between the lip and body for receiving a sealing medium.

MINTON LARKIN SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 483,304 Jones et a1 Sept. 27, 1892 636,603 Williams Nov. 7, 1899 1,143,018 Arnold June 15', 1915 1,234,470 Hartman July 24, 1917 1,450,291 Heacock Apr. 3, 1923 1,617,333 Hutchings Feb. 15, 1927 1,656,772 Bucknell et a1. Jan. 17, 1928 1,807,610 Williams June 2, 1931 1,901,149 Dancer Mar. 14, 1933 2,106,278 Redmer Jan. 25, 1938 2,169,460 Broughton Aug. 15, 1939 

